I’m a somewhat prolific (ab)user of Twitter. It’s a place where I am able to engage with a much wider audience about Australian veteran issues than I can on Facebook and other social and traditional media channels. It is also a good place to complain about iiNet’s appalling service in Canberra.
Over the past several days I have had times where the black dog has started barking behind me. I’ve resisted the urge to acknowledge it’s reappearance in my life, but with it being Mental Health Awareness Week, this has been quite difficult. I have spent a lot of time trying to articulate my feelings, opinions and thoughts on veteran mental health support and veteran suicide into a single blog post.
The plan was to address the serious concerns I and many others have regarding the Australian Defence Force’s mental health support policies and the support avenues available to servicepersons once they discharge and begin re-integration into civilian society and life. I found I was unable to focus enough to write anything close be being coherent with a clear narrative. Instead after my Wife and child were fast asleep last night; I was able to communicate what I wanted to share via Twitter in 140 characters or less – give or take 16 tweets.
For those that want to read my SMS sized (over)share, here it is…
https://twitter.com/ChadPD/status/520163159173107712
https://twitter.com/ChadPD/status/520163823383113728
https://twitter.com/ChadPD/status/520164311004499968
https://twitter.com/ChadPD/status/520164843970502657
https://twitter.com/ChadPD/status/520165343935741952
https://twitter.com/ChadPD/status/520165955503022080
https://twitter.com/ChadPD/status/520166418495463424
https://twitter.com/ChadPD/status/520167165345804288
https://twitter.com/ChadPD/status/520167852989362177
https://twitter.com/ChadPD/status/520168708224737280
https://twitter.com/ChadPD/status/520169354181111808